10/21/2026
🚒 MORE THAN JUST EMERGENCY RESPONSE — WHEN DISASTER STRIKES, TEAMWORK MAKES THE DIFFERENCE! 🚒
Not all of the Ketchikan Fire Department's equipment is used just for fighting fires or responding to medical emergencies. Sometimes, the specialized equipment and training we invest in become critical tools for helping our community respond to and recover from disasters.
This past week, as Ketchikan dealt with significant rainfall, flooding, infrastructure damage, and landslide activity, our specialized rescue teams and equipment were put to work in ways you might not normally expect!
🛠️ TRENCH RESCUE TEAM — KEEPING PUBLIC WORKS SAFE
Our Rescue Truck and Trench Rescue Team were activated to provide specialized shoring equipment and expertise, allowing Public Works employees to safely enter a damaged drainage area and make a relief cut in the pipe.
This work was essential to helping crews address the drainage issue while reducing the risk to those working in potentially hazardous conditions. It's a great example of how equipment purchased for technical rescue emergencies can also help protect employees performing critical infrastructure repairs.
🌊 SWIFT WATER RESCUE TEAM — READY WHEN NEEDED
Earlier in the week, our Swift Water Rescue Team was called upon to evaluate whether they could safely access and film the inflow and outflow of a damaged drainage pipe to help identify the location of a suspected collapse.
Although the team was ultimately not needed, having trained personnel and specialized equipment immediately available gave crews another option for evaluating the problem without waiting for outside assistance.
⛰️ RESCUE TRUCK — A DIFFERENT VIEW OF THE WARD COVE LANDSLIDE
At the Ward Cove landslide affecting the electrical substation, our Rescue Truck served another important purpose.
Using the elevated camera mounted on the truck, along with drone footage provided by the Ketchikan Police Department, geologists were able to remotely examine the landslide area without unnecessarily exposing personnel to unstable ground.
These resources allowed specialists to observe changes in the slide area throughout the week, compare conditions with earlier observations, and evaluate the potential for additional ground movement.
The information gathered will also be shared with Landslide Technologies as they assist in developing a safety and remediation plan for the affected area.
💪 WHY HAVING THESE RESOURCES LOCALLY MATTERS
Living on an island in Southeast Alaska, we know that help isn't always just a short drive away. Sometimes it's a flight, a ferry ride, or a wait for the weather to cooperate — and we all know how cooperative Southeast Alaska weather can be! 🌧️
Having specialized rescue teams, trained personnel, and equipment already in our community doesn't just improve emergency response. It saves valuable time, reduces costs, and allows critical work to begin without waiting for outside resources to arrive.
These investments don't just help us respond to emergencies. They help our entire community recover from them.
❤️ THANK YOU, KETCHIKAN — AND TO ALL OUR PARTNERS!
We want to thank our community for its continued support of the Ketchikan Fire Department and Ketchikan Police Department.
Your investment in training, technology, and specialized equipment allows us to do much more than respond to 911 calls. It gives our community the ability to solve problems, protect workers, support our partner agencies, and respond quickly when disaster strikes.
We also want to recognize the incredible teamwork demonstrated throughout this weather event. Responding to a disaster of this magnitude takes much more than firefighters and police officers. It takes people from across our local government and community, many of whom work behind the scenes to keep critical services operating.
A special thank-you to:
🚒 Ketchikan Fire Department personnel and specialized rescue teams
🚓 Ketchikan Police Department
⚡ Ketchikan Public Utilities (KPU)
⚓ Ketchikan Ports and Harbors
🚧 City of Ketchikan Public Works and Streets Department
🚛 City of Ketchikan Solid Waste crews and Solid Waste Facility staff
🦺 City of Ketchikan Safety Officer
🏛️ City of Ketchikan Management
📊 City of Ketchikan Finance Department
🚨 Ketchikan Gateway Borough Emergency Manager
📢 Ketchikan Gateway Borough Public Information Officer (PIO)
📢 City of Ketchikan Public Information Officer (PIO)
⛰️ State emergency management personnel, geologists, and other technical specialists assisting with this event
From the crews working in the rain and mud to the people coordinating resources, tracking expenses, sharing public information, and making critical decisions, every one of these roles is essential to a successful response and recovery.
Disasters don't recognize department boundaries, job descriptions, or budgets. When something happens in our community, it takes everyone working together to find solutions and keep Ketchikan moving forward.
One of the greatest strengths of a small community like Ketchikan is that when things go sideways, departments don't stop to ask whose job it is — they come together to get the job done.
And when Mother Nature decides to remind us just how much rain Southeast Alaska can hold, it's good to know we have a community full of dedicated people willing to step up! 🌧️
We are fortunate to have skilled employees, strong partnerships, and specialized equipment right here at home. These capabilities don't happen overnight. They are the result of years of planning, training, investment, and, most importantly, the continued support of our community.
When disaster strikes in Ketchikan, we don't always have the luxury of waiting for everything to arrive on the next ferry. We rely on the people, equipment, and partnerships we've built right here at home.
🚒🚓 Different departments. Different responsibilities. One community working together.
Thank you, Ketchikan, for making it all possible! ❤️
